III. Horses; whose Labour is so necessary that we could neither carry on our Husbandry or Trade without them, besides their fitness for War, being the boldest in the World, and for all these uses are Transported abroad, for the former to our Plantations in the West Indies, for the latter to some of our Neighbouring Nations; but their Flesh is of no use, their Skins of little, the Leather made thereof is very ordinary, only the longest of their Hair is used in Weaving.
There are many other sorts of Beasts, some whereof require no care in raising, others little, others are more tender, such are the Stag, the Dear, the Rabbit, the Hare, the Fox, the Badger, the Goat, whose Skins are necessary for our Trade, and assist in our Manufactures.
Tillage.Agriculture is that whereby we raise our Corn by turning up the Earth, the several sorts whereof are Wheat, Rye, Barly, Pease, Beans, Fetches, Oats, which not only afford nourishment to our selves and the Beasts we use in labour, but serve for Trade, as they give Imployment to our People at home, and are Transported abroad more or less according to the overplus of onr expence, and the want of our Neighbours, besides the great Quantities used in our Navigation.
These Products of both sorts are clear profit to the Nation as they are raised from Earth and Labour, whose Advantages arise chiefly from their being Exported either in their own kind or when Manufactered, the Remainder spent at Home tending only to supplying the use, not advancing the Wealth of the Nation; now these Exports being according to the Rates and Prizes they bear in other Countries, and those Rates arising from the Proportion their Lands hold with ours in their Yearly Rents, are not so great in specie as when workt up, Butter is the greatest, wherewith we supply many Forreign Markets, and did formerly more, till by making it bad and using Tricks to increase its weight, we have much lost that Trade, and are now almost beat out of it by Ireland, which every day makes better as we make worse, besides they undersell us in the Price, as they do also in Beef, occasioned by the low Rents of their Lands, and more especially by the Act of Prohibition, which put that Nation on finding out a Trade in Forreign Markets for what they were denyed to bring hither, which being Exported thence direct yeilds them greater profit, the sweetness whereof hath encouraged them to take more care, and this hath raised them from a Sloathful to be an Industrious People. As for Corn, Forreign Markets are supplyed therewith both from thence and other places in the Sound, also from the Western Islands, cheaper then the price of our Lands will admit. But our Plantations have still some Dependance on us for our Product, and would more if that Act was removed, and Ireland made a Colony on the same Terms with them.
The other Fruits of the Earth, as Apples, Pears, Cherries, Plumbs, together with the Herbs and Plants, also the Fowls and Fish taken in this Land, serve rather for our Delight and Food than Trade. Some Cider we do Export, also Spirits raised by the Distiller both from some of these, and also from many other things.
Fish.On the Sea Coasts we catch great Quantities of Herrings and Pilchards, which we save, and sell in Forreign Markets.
Minerals.Nor is this all the Product of our Earth, whose Womb being big with Treasure longs to be Delivered, and after many Throws brings forth Lead, Tin, Copper, Calamy, Coal, Culm, Iron, Allom, Copperas, and sundry other Minerals, which return us great Treasure from Forreign Markets whither they are Exported; besides the several Shrubs and Trees that adorn our Fields, among which the Oak, the Ash, and the Elm, are the chiefest, these not only serve in Building our Sips, but do also furnish us with Materials wherewith our Arificers make many things fit for Forregn Commerce, and it were much to be wisht better care were taken for preserving Timber, lest out Posterities want what we so Prodigally squander away.
Manufactures.The next thing is our Manufactures, whereby we Improve the value of our Products by the Labour of our Inhabitants, and make them useful in sundry manners both for our selves and others, fitting them for such Services as of their own Natures without the help of Art they would not have been proper, and those to suit the Necessities and Humours both of our own and Foreign Countries to which we Export them, where they yield a price not only according to the true value of the Materials and Labour, but an overplus likewise suitable to the Necessity and Fancy of the Buyer, and this adds to the profit of the Nation, and increases its Wealth.
These Manufactures as they Imploy Multitudes of People in their making, so also in Transporting them, and fetching several Forreign Materials used with our own, such as Oyl, Dye-stuffe, Silk, Wool, Cotten, Barrilia, and many others, which are either Manufactured here of themselves, or wrought up with our Product.
Sheeps Wool.And first to begin with Sheeps Wool, whereof either by it self or mixt with Silk or Linnen we make various sorts of pretty things fit for all Climates, and proper for the wearing of both Sexes, wherein the Invention and Imitation of our Workmen is so great that they have no Idea represented or Pattern set before them that is not soon out done; from a strong heavy Cloath fit to keep out cold in Winter they turn their Hands to a fine thin sort which will scarse keep warm in Summer, Ladies may now wear Gowns thereof so light that they can hardly know they have them on; from hence they fell on Perpets, Serges, Crapes, Stuffs, Says, Rattoons, Gauzes, Anthrines, and many other sorts fit both for outward Garments and inward Linings, of various Colors Stripes and Flowers, some of them so fine and pleasant scarse to be known from Silk; besides those multitudes of courser Clothes for the Poor, also Rugs, Blankets, and all Furniture for Houses, and such a Progress have they made in this sort of Manufactures, that a Man may have his Picture wrought in Tapestry with the same exactness both for Life and Colors as if drawn with a curious Pencil; for this I refer the Reader to those Hangings at the Custom-House in London, where he may see the several Officers so lively represented in their Stations, that want of Motion seems to be the only thing which differs them from their Originals; One Workman endeavouring to exceed another they make things to answer all the ends of Silks, Calicoes, and Linnen, of bare Sheeps Wool, which if they were by Fashion brought into wearing would then be thought as handsom; fine Flannel for Shirts; white Crape for Neckclothes, Cuffs, and Head-Dresses; besides the pretty Laces, whereof we see various sorts used about the Dead; and Caduce of several Colours in imitation of Ribbons; also Hats, Stockings, and many such things are made of Wool and other Mixtures, both worn at home and Exported abroad.